


Past of Thorns

by orphan_account



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: AU, Also Hisoka is a trapeze artist in the circus, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blood Drinking, Blood and Gore, Dismemberment, Eventual Smut, Hisoka will eventually make an appearance, M/M, Murder, No Underage Sex, in which Gon and Killua are both scary wild children from the forest, sometimes, sort of dark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 18:23:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3947041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We'll stay together forever, right?"</p><p>Killua pulled away, peeking up at Gon from beneath the covers.  Those big amber eyes of his were eerily somber, almost as if foreboding.  Killua didn't like that look on his friend.</p><p>He hugged Gon tightly, "Of course, Gon.  We can always be together to the end..."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Wounded Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clarify: Hunters in this story aren't like hunters in the original. They are just like your usual, run of the mill hunters. Magical creatures do exist, though, and so does nen. Sort of.

Leorio was minding his own business, tending his modestly sized office.

It was sunny outside, with just the right amount of breeze so that the island's residents didn't' notice the hat of the sun's rays beating down on them.  The sky was a nice shade of blue with a few fluffy, soft looking clouds floating by.

He almost wished he could just close shop and go outside to enjoy the especially fortunate weather like everyone else.  It was so very tempting.

As his luck would have it however, right when he'd opted to act on those thoughts and moved past the desk and massive stack of untouched paperwork to flip the sign, two men came barreling in through the front door.  Leorio, with a sigh, turned the sign he'd just changed back to 'Open'.

He turned his calculating gaze on them, looking for any sign of injury or illness and coming to the conclusion that despite the obvious duress, neither of the men were the patient he'd no doubt soon be treating.

Placing his hands on his hips and leaning back as he sighed once more to release his own pent up tension, he asked, "What is it I can do for you two gentleman today?"

He raised a brow when they both fidgeted awkwardly at the question.  They shared a long look between each other, some form of silent communication.  Probably both trying to goad the other into speaking first.  This hesitance was starting to put Leorio on edge.

Now that he was really _looking_ at these two men, it occurred to him that both men had rifles strapped to their backs, as well as a knife holster or two, and a few other miscellaneous items and bags.  Tell-tale signs of hunters.  Or possibly poachers.  Leorio never could tell with these shady types.

He found himself growing ever so curious now.

What could hunters--... poachers...?-- possibly need from him, the town doctor?  And what could possibly be the cause of their hesitance?

Finally, the taller and larger of the two men spoke in a gruff voice that mad his shy demeanor all the more comical to Leorio, "There's a.. er, patient it may be in your interest to... tend to..."

"Oh?  And you haven't brought him with you on the way here?  As urgent as you're trying to make this sound..."  Leorio trailed off, waiting for further explanation.

The shorter on was quick to pick up where the other left off, "W-we wanted to, y'see, but thing is, the kid was pretty banged up, y'know what I mean?  We didn't wanna risk jostling him more'n he already was an' we kinda panicked and came straight here."

'The kid', he said... Leorio was dealing with a child then.  This could be very bad.  Much more pressure.  More guilt on his conscience and such.  Nonetheless, a patient was a patient, regardless of age or circumstance.  He couldn't afford to dawdle or complain.  Time was of the essence.

"And just where... can I find this kid?" he questioned the two, narrowing his eyes at them for good measure.  He still didn't trust them.  They were acting suspiciously.  He wouldn't be surprised if they somehow had a hand in the reason to why his aid was required.

"Uh well, you see... um... Well--" started the larger man, but the shorter guy interrupted him in a rush.

"He's out in the forest!  Out that way," he pointed out toward the outskirts of the town, where the shrubbery merged with the trees on the steeply rising slope of the mountain.

Leorio scowled.  His brows knit together with harsh lines, and his lips drew tight and thin.  He growled to himself.  Of fucking _course_ it was in the forest.  The forest where fearsome beasts were said to lurk.  The forest where unskilled men disappeared without so much as a _trace,_ and where even some skilled men would oftentimes go missing.

That just might be the reason for the hunters' edginess.

"Anything **else** I should know before I depart?" he ground out through his teeth at them.  He was beyond pissed.  No more common courtesy was left within him to waste on these utterly incompetent fools (for that was clearly what they were).

They both took a few cautious steps back.  The shorter one said in a small, shaky voice, "Y-yeah... You'll find the kid an' his friend in a tree trunk, about halfway up the mountain... er... we can draw ya a map if ya like...?"

"That would be much appreciated.  Preferably _now_."

He knew it was mean of him, but Leorio had to admit to himself that watching the two panic to write down and sketch the proper information he'd need was somehow... enjoyable.  He told himself it was probably because they were bad people (presumably), and maybe a little in part due to the fact they were quickly getting on his last nerve.

* * *

For a while, he could hear nothing but the sound of the underbrush and twigs crunching under his and his companion's feet.  Accompanied with the distant sound of birds twittering, it could almost be considered peaceful.  If he could forget just what forest they were in, that was.

"Tell me again why it is you've dragged me along with you in the forest on such a lovely day?"

Leorio turned his head to fully look at Kurapika.  He was a beautiful guy, to say the least-- considered one of the most desirable bachelors in their tiny town.  He had a full head of pretty blond locks that flowed an inch or so past the nape of his neck.  His skin was creamy and unblemished (something that was both coveted and envied by all the town's women).

All of that though was nothing compared to his most unique, most notorious quality.  His eyes, a color so wonderfully blue, like the sky today, or the deep sea surrounding their island.  No one was really certain, but some swore to the gods above that their were times those big blue eyes would become red.  Not just a tint of red, or something akin to a trick of the light,but an entirely undeniable scarlet not unlike blood from an open wound.  To this day, it was still merely a rumor whispered around behind Kurapika's back, but Leorio knew well that almost any rumor had some grain of truth that sparked it all, no matter how small that grain may have been to begin with.  The trouble was picking the grain out from the garbage.  Perhaps he'd never have the luxury of knowing for himself.  Perhaps not even Kurapika knew whether the rumor bore any truth to it.

Leorio shook his head, clearing his mind of such random speculations.  He stared ahead at the seemingly endless path as he and Kurapika trudged onward.

"Because," he replied tiredly, "I received a tip from some hunters that a boy's been injured out here and that he needs medical aid..." he let his words and their meaning sink in.  It didn't take a genius to figure out that contacting a doctor about such a circumstance wouldn't simply be for a little scrape or something to that effect.  No doubt, this was a serious wound.  Maybe even life threatening.

Kurapika was quiet for a few moments, "... Okay.  But that still doesn't explain what you need _me_ for."

Leorio snorted, "You're kidding, right?  Please tell me that was a joke.  You know what the forest is like.  Little old me out here, all on my lonesome?  I don't think so."

"You make it sound as if you're completely defenseless," Kurapika rolled his eyes, "I've known you for as long as you've lived on this island.  You and I both know that you're no pushover."

Leorio hummed thoughtfully, carefully stepping around a random hold in the trail.  According to the map he was holding in his hand, they should be getting close.

"True, I can hold my own in a fight, but that doesn't make the forest any less dangerous.  Besides, two's better than one, and I may really need someone to watch my six, in case I need to administer emergency care on the spot.  I think we're almost there."

Kurapika nodded, accepting the explanation.  He focused more intently on the path ahead.  Waiting.  Anticipating.

Leorio pocketed his map.  It would be of little use to them from that point forward.

"Keep and eye out for two boys in a tree trunk," he advised Kurapika.

Normally, the boy would have qualms with taking orders from Leorio, but he understood the man was in 'doctor mode' and that this very well could be life or death.  It was unwise to quarrel among one another.

He did as Leorio had asked and began to thoroughly examined their surroundings, searching for any possible sign of the patient they sought.  Leorio was already doing the same.

Kurapika was the first to spot the two boys (at least he hoped that was them).  He grabbed Leorio's shoulder, startling him momentarily, and pointed toward the tree in the distance.  The two boys were nestled inside a rather large hole through the wide trunk that sunk into the ground.

"I think I found your patient."

Leorio nodded, "I think so too.  Good eye, Kurapika."

With that, Leorio began to approach the two boys.

What he didn't expect was for a stray bolt of lightning to nearly strike him straight through the skull on such a sunny day.  Which was to say, that's exactly what did indeed happen.

He gave a loud shout of surprise as he only barely dodged the random bolt of lightning.  He could feel the heat against his skin as the hairs on his right arm were singed, even having dodged it.  He shuddered to think just how much more painful it could have been, had he not had the great fortune of managing to dodge.

Wincing, he rubbed at his arm gingerly.  What a day.

Despite the strange freak occurrence, he continued to approach the boys.  He could now get a better idea of what they looked like, since he was much closer.

First, there was a boy with white hair and deep blue, almost black eyes.  His skin seemed awfully pale, as if this was the first time in his life he was outdoors.

Behind him was who appeared to be a shorter boy on his back.  Leorio wasn't going to put much thought into how that black hair of his could be so spiky and gravity defying.

The white-haired kid looked really agitated and wary.  This almost fully confirmed his suspicions that the hunters did something to the boy.  The way he was acting so distrusting of people was unnatural.

The white-haired kid guarding the other was relatively unharmed from what he could see; however, the one behind him was much, much worse.  He needed medical attention that Leorio would be incapable of giving if the other wouldn't get out of the way.

"Stay back!" the white-haired one growled menacingly, leaning forward in a crouch, posture clearly hostile.

"W-wait!"  Leorio exclaimed.  "I'm not here to hurt you.  I want to help you... I'm a doctor!"

He seemed to slowly consider this before tilting his head and narrowing his eyes at Leorio's suitcase, "... That thing?"

"It's my suitcase.  It just my first-aid kit and a few other essentials.  Like I said I'm a doctor.  I can _help_ you," Leorio explained in response, once more enunciating that he was not a threat.

The boy was not impressed.  He narrowed his eyes even more.  Leorio caught the way the boy's fingers subtly twitched and flexed from the corner of his eye.  Nails weren't supposed to be that long and sharp.  He'd never seen anything like that before.

Leorio stumbled a few more steps forward, but the boy's cold, hard stare stopped him in his tracks.  Those eyes spoke, and they were screaming murder right now.

Leorio, chuckling nervously, flipped the latch on his suitcase and pulled it open.  He turned it toward the boys, demonstrating for the taller one that he had no hidden weapons inside.

Instead, of putting him at ease, it seemed he'd caused the exact opposite.

The boy stiffened, "You have weapons."

"What?" he asked incredulously.  This was exactly why he'd shown the boy the inside-- so he'd know he _didn't_ have weapons.  "What could possibly make you think I have..." he followed the boy's glare, remembering now his collection of syringes,"Oh, these?" he picked one out, holding it up for the boy to see, "They're just my syringes.  For giving shots."

How clueless could this kid be to not know about shots?  Judging by his size, he should have long since gotten plenty of vaccinations and such.  Plenty of exposure to have learned what a shot was, and that syringes weren't weapons.  Well, not generally anyway.

The fact that he didn't know...

Definitely didn't know.  The way he glared at it as if it was a loaded gun in his hand instead was evidence enough to support that observation.  Just hat was he dealing with here?

Time was ticking.  The wounded boy's breath was labored.  He could see that well enough even from the large distance the white-haired one was keeping him at.  His chest rose and fell in inconsistent, jerky movements, denoting the large amount of pain the kid must have been in.

"He needs help.  Now," Leorio said sternly, hoping the boy would understand.

No cigar.  The boy squared his shoulders, standing tall as he continued to glare.

"You humans have done enough already," he snapped, raising a hand in the air.

Just as Leorio was trying to decipher the meaning of what he'd just said the boy jerked, as if he'd just been shocked.  Leorio looked downward to see the shorter one had painstakingly crawled forward to grab weakly at the other's ankle.

"Kil...lua..." was spoken in a tiny, barely there voice.  It was the wounded boy on the ground who'd spoken.  He was shaking with the effort it took to do so, "... please don't k... kill... him..."

"But--" Killua snapped, shaking his head in frustration-- hostility Leorio knew was aimed at him and not the other boy.  "But he's _human_ , like _those_ guys were!!  What if he-- what-- what if he hurts y--"

"He won't," the boy interrupted in that weak voice of his before breaking into a coughing fit.

"How can you be so sure?!" Killua seemed very frustrated by this.  He was glaring back at Leorio accusingly, as if it was somehow his fault.

"He doesn't mean any harm..." the black-haired boy winced, taking in ragged breaths as he set wide, deep amber eyes on Leorio, "I just know it."

Killua visibly flinched, going completely rigid and eerily silent.  It was awkward and the tension was intense.  The boy had become so still that Leorio couldn't even tell if he was breathing anymore.

The doctor frowned.  They didn't have time for this.  The kid was obviously going to die if he was left alone.  They were wasting precious minutes, seconds even.  Leorio's eyes darted from Killua to the other boy, trying to access the extent of the damage.  Two bullet wounds.  One in the shoulder, and the other somewhere in the kid's upper back area.  Possible punctured lung.

Leorio cursed under his breath.  He sincerely hoped not.  He didn't exactly have the proper equipment for a punctured lung with him.  The boy wasn't hacking up frothing blood, so that at the very least was a good sign.  If he did, they'd know for sure it was punctured. He had his fingers crossed.

Killua squinted at him quizzically, "What's your problem?"

"He's badly injured," Leorio pointed out for the umpteenth time, keeping his tone calm and steady, doing his best not to sound condescending or aggressive.  Something told him this haughty kid wouldn't take kindly to an attitude.  "He needs medical attention.  Preferably now, rather that later.  If you would just let me, I might be able to help him."

" _ **Might**_?"  Killua asked incredulously, taking a more defensive stance.  "Before, you sounded so sure that you could help him.  What gives?  How do we know we can trust you?!"

Not good.

"That was before I realized just how critical his condition is.  I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker.  All I know is that the more time we spend arguing, the less time I have to help him and the less chance he'll survive by nightfall.  Do you want my help or not?"

"Now you listen here--"

"Killua."

Killua spun around to look at the black-haired boy again, "Gon!"

"He's telling... the truth... Killua..." the boy replied between shallow gasps of breath, "... please..."

Killua gave a long, tired sight that turned into an aggravated groan.  One Leorio quickly recognized as a sound of resignation.

He spun back around, jabbing a finger toward Leorio, "You.  Come over here.  Now.  You dare hurt him and I won't hesitate to end your life.  Oh, and call off that little guard dog of yours over there.  He's been glaring daggers at me since the moment we started speaking."

Leorio had to process those words in his mind a few times before he realized the boy was referring to Kurapika as a guard dog.  He turned and waved his friend off, motioning with hand signals that everything was okay.  Kurapika was hesitant to believe that, he could tell, but eventually conceded.

Finally, Killua allowed him to approach the boy... Gon, was it?  For both the boys' sake, and his own, he hoped he could help this boy...


	2. Recovery and a Small Favor

Killua was in shock, though he didn't allow his face or form to show it.  This human man had come out of nowhere and now he was treating Gon's wounds.  He simply couldn't believe it.  He didn't know whether they should consider themselves fortunate that such a skilled doctor was nearby, or extremely unlucky, considering that if those dirty no-good poachers hadn't shot Gon in the back, they wouldn't even _need_ the help of a doctor.

Killua was sure to keep a vigilant eye on the man as he worked.  No way was he letting him out of his sight.  The man claimed a few times over the time which had elapsed that Killua didn't need to be so wary (and at one point even complained that the pressure made it difficult to work efficiently).  As if he cared.  Killua didn't give a damn how nervous he was.

If he hurt even one hair on that head of Gon's... well... well.

It wouldn't be pretty, he'd leave it at that.

Eventually, the doctor guy leaned back on his heels and used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow.  Killua could see him looking at him.

"Well?"  Killua demanded as the doctor started packing up his things.  "Is he okay?  Is Gon going to be okay?"

The doctor sighed, dragging a hand through sweaty black locks.  He fixed Killua with a stern look that made Killua's blood boil, but Killua managed to quash the emotion quickly.

"I did the best I could.  The rest is up to him.  He seems strong.  I'm sure he'll be just fine in a few weeks."

Killua allowed that information to sink in.  For a moment there, it had started to sound like he meant to say Gon was dying.  It had set him on edge.  More than he already had been, anyway.

"If I may give you a word of advice," the doctor said, straightening out his rustled tie, "it would be much safer for Gon if you relocate for a while.  At least until he's healed."

"I fully intended to--" Killua snapped, but was interrupted.

"I don't think you understand just what I'm trying to tell you.  The forest is no place for the wounded.  It's dirty, not to mention dangerous.  If some scary monster doesn't manage to come finish him off, infection will."

Killua blinked, tilting his head to the side with wide eyes, "Infection?  Who's that?"

"..." the doctor groaned, throwing his head back with his palm to his forehead, "Are you kidding me?!"

"No?" Killua rolled his eyes.  This guy was far too dramatic.

"Look, the forest is far too dirty for your friend as he is right now.  He needs clean surroundings while he's recuperating...  Tell you what, I've got a place I can put you two up for a few weeks--" Killua snarled, and the man waved his hands in front of himself in a somewhat futile attempt to calm him, "Hear me out!  It's a lot safer than here.  And it won't be forever.  As soon as Gon is healed, you'd be able to go wherever you like.  How's that sound?"

Killua was about to tell him where he could shove his offer when he suddenly got the urge to look at Gon.  He kept his gaze there for a while.  He was finally peaceful, sleeping now that the doctor had helped.  If he'd meant to kill them, he'd already had plenty of chances to do so.  True to his word, he hadn't hurt Gon, and instead patched him up.

_"... please... don't kill him..."_

It had been the first time in years Gon had asked anything of him.  And all for this man.  Killua shook his head.  He'd better not regret this.

"Okay, fine, but only until Gon is healed.  No longer."

"You've got yourself a deal.  Let's get to transporting your friend back to town," he then shouted out to his friend, "Kurapika?"

* * *

 

Kurapika quickly discovered that despite the hostile demeanor he'd witnessed in Killua from afar, the boy was strangely polite once he was inside Leorio's home.  The white-haired boy immediately apologized fro intruding as he walked through the doorway.  Something Kurapika was surprised he was even aware of, considering he _didn't_ know what shots were.

Kurapika, not being one to be outdone, was sure to apologize for intruding as well before closing the door behind himself.  Leorio was already carrying Gon's unconscious body down the hall, calling for Killua to follow.

Kurapika kept close on their heels.  He still didn't trust these boys.  Or rather, he didn't trust Killua.  He was too hostile, too willing to rise to the call of violence, but also carried with him an eerie sort of calm that made his underlying cruel nature (for Kurapika was certain it was there, thanks to his years of experience as a mercenary) all the more intimidating.  He wasn't even afraid to admit how intimidating the boy was.  Arrogance was a thing he'd slowly been overcoming as he grew older.  Doing so had saved his life more than once.

He couldn't comprehend how Leorio was so calm around the kid.  Was he even really a kid?  Everything about him-- speech, posture, gait, body language-- all of these cues hinted at a potential of wisdom that Kurapika could only imagine.

This kid was a mystery.  A terrifying mystery.

Gon was now tucked into a bed by the window.  Leorio had paced around the bed to the window and had closed the blinds and was now drawing the curtains.  Killua was watching with wide, curious eyes.

Kurapika vaguely wondered to himself whether Killua even knew what curtains or blinds were.  If he was to assume the kids had been living on the mountain in that tree their entire lives, neither of them would have much knowledge of what anything in the room was.

The way the white-haired kid started toying with the blinds and curtains after Leorio walked away was _almost_ funny.  It took more than that to get Kurapika to laugh.

Although it would seem it was enough to distract him.  He hadn't even realized Leorio was beside him until he felt a nudge at his side.  Leorio was giving him a playful smirk.

"Hey."

Kurapika rolled his eyes, muttering, "Hey yourself."

Leorio shrugged one shoulder, gaze trailing back toward Gon, then Killua, who was still amusing himself with the blinds, "You're as social as usual, I see."

It wasn't unlike Leorio to make small talk on a regular basis, but this was especially awkward.  Kurapika didn't typically care for small talk, and this was no exception.

"Why are you doing this?" Kurapika demanded.   _I'm only concerned for his well-being.  That's all._

"Helping them?  Isn't that my job though?"  Leorio was playing coy.  He wasn't very good at it.  Never was.

"You know what I mean.  You weren't under any obligation to bring them into the village.  Let alone put them up in your own house."

Leorio avoided his gaze, which lead him to stare at Gon for a particularly long time, "That would make me a failure as a doctor.  I need to do everything within my power to save lives.  Giving them a room to stay in is the least I can do.  Besides that, this way, I can keep an eye on Gon's condition," Leorio paused, sighing deeply, "I'm sorry this bothers you, Kurapika.  If you could only have seen what I did back there... Maybe then you'd understand..."

Kurapika was dumbfounded, unsure of what to say.  So eventually, he gave up on trying to think of a way to talk Leorio out of this.  Whether it had been intentional or not, the doctor had effectively killed that topic.

Kurapika set his gaze on the boy with white hair and blue eyes.  He looked so young.  Young and pretty, and just plain _innocent_ even, when he wasn't threatening to take someone's life.

Could he have judged too quickly...?  or was it Leorio who was wrong?

... He wanted to believe Leorio.  He really, really did...

* * *

 

"When will Gon wake up?"

Leorio looked to where Killua was sitting on the floor at Gon's bedside, both hands clasped tightly around one of Gon's frail, unmoving hands.  His heart wavered at the pitiful sight.

It was Kurapika who started to speak, but Leorio was quick to rush over and silence him when he realized what his companion intended to tell the boy.

"I've been a friend of Leorio's for a long time and I'm sorry to tell you, but--"

Leorio slapped a handover Kurapika's mouth, "What he meant to say was there's no way of knowing.  Only time will tell-- **yowch**!!"

Kurapika had bitten his finger.  He had a triumphant gleam in his eyes as Leorio yanked his hand back.

"Was that really necessary?"  Leorio complained.

"Don't cover my mouth," Kurapika retored with a _hmph_ as he crossed his arms.

Both men were thoroughly surprised by what happened next.  Neither of them knew whether it was heartfelt, or just from stress.  Maybe it had been one of those laugh or cry type situations.

Killua _giggled._

* * *

 

It was dark.  A little chilly too, but he found that he wasn't feeling so cold.  Something warm was close against his body, partially draped over top of him.

Gon curled into that inviting warmth.  He cracked his eyes open ever so slightly to see Killua beside him.  He was out cold.

Gon smiled fondly, petting his friend's fluffy white hair.  His face was softest when he was asleep like this, but Gon could still make out the telling dark circles under his eyes.  Killua must have had one hell of a time during his recovery.  Gon could only imagine.

But he was awake now.  Killua wouldn't have to worry anymore.

As his face returned to a neutral expression, Gon untangled himself from Killua's limbs and sat up to observe his surroundings.  He was in a small room, it would seem, in a bed of sorts.  He'd never seen a square-shaped bed on posts before...  Although the covers were a nice touch.  Comfy and warm.

But what as the purpose of it being off the ground?  Was there a purpose?

... How did he get here, anyway?  Did Killua bring him?

Gon know that his friend would never do something to intentionally put him in danger, so considering the fact that both of them weren't shackled or caged, it was probably okay to assume they were in a safe place.

There was some rustling by Gon's side, easily picked up by his keen ears.  He turned his head to see Killua slowly waking up while rubbing at one of his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"Oh... you're awake," Killua murmured, the surprised in his voice watered down by his grogginess.  Gon nodded with a small smile.

In the next moment, Gon's back was flat on the bed and Killua was on to of him with his arms wrapped around his waist.  Gon chuckled, hugging him back.

"It's okay, Killua, I'm okay now," he replied, "everything's okay now."

"But it wasn't!" Killua whimpered pathetically.  "Those humans, they... they told me you were going to--"

"Shh... sh," Gon held a finger to his friend's lips, "but I didn't.  I'm here now."

Killua sniffled, eyes welling up with tears.  Gon pulled him into a tight hug.

Killua stiffened, but soon relaxed into Gon's hold, clutching at his shoulders as he sobbed.  Gon didn't say anything all the while.  Merely petted Killua's hair as he continued to hold him tightly.

Gon was the one who understood Killua best, just as his friend also understood him best.  Normally his white-haired companion was a tough, no-nonsense kind of guy.  However, wherever Gon was concerned, he could become a little soft at times.

So when his fried who almost never cried broke down sobbing uncontrollably like this, Gon didn't mock him or question it.  He held him close and encouraged him to let it all out.

A little later, Killua quieted down until he was just sniffling with the occasional hiccup.  Gon held Killua's face in his hands, gently turning it upwards.

He gazed into impossibly beautiful blue eyes, now tinted by red from all the tears, "Better?" he asked softly.

Killua nodded.  Gon hugged him again.

"Don't worry, Killua.  I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

 

"Oh!  You're awake!"

It was morning now, the sun shining brightly through the window.  Gon and Killua had managed to get some more sleep after Killua's breakdown the previous night, but they were now wide awake and talking animatedly to each other.  They both grew silent as they heard someone approaching, and now were both staring at the blond, Kurapika.

Gon was first to speak up, "Yup!" he chirped.  "Good as new.  Thanks for saving me!"

"I-It wasn't me," he stuttered, growing a little flustered with the (in his personal opinion) uncalled for gratitude.  Composing himself, he explained, "I'm just a mercenary for hire.  Leorio's the doctor.  If not for him, well..."

"Haha, yeah," Gon laughed, not at all bothered by the morbid topic of his near-death experience, "I owe him my life, huh?"

Kurapika fidgeted, "I'll... go fetch him for you.  He'll probably want to check your vitals and stuff."

With that, the blond mercenary ran out of the room.  Gon and Killua could easily hear him shouting the messy-haired doctor's name.  They giggled to each other, going back to their chattering.

A little while later, Leorio entered the room whilst wheeling in some strange doctor type contraption.  Gon eyed it with unmasked curiosity and perhaps just a touch of wariness.  Killua, who'd seen the doctor using all the doohickeys on there multiple times, didn't even bat an eye.  While the first day, he'd been growling and hostile, by now he understood none of the tools were meant to harm.

Killua pat his friend's shoulder lightly, throwing him a reassuring smile when he had his attention.

"Don't worry, Gon," Killua said cheerily, "those things are just to 'check your vitals'."

He was feeling particularly proud of himself, having recalled what Leorio said the first time.  He still didn't fully understand what the phrase actually _meant_ , but Gon didn't need to know that.

Gon didn't know what 'check your vitals' meant either, but if Killua was talking in such a light-hearted tone about it, it couldn't possibly be anything _that_ bad.  He relaxed as the messy-haired doctor approached the bed.

Killua crawled over Gon's lap so that Leorio could more easily get to Gon.  He wrapped his arm around Gon's shoulders, giving him a quick hug.  With that, the boy relaxed completely.

It went a little slower than normal at first, since Gon was now awake and Leorio had to explain what to do (and let's just say that even though Gon's a nice boy, he's a curious, uncooperative little shit).  Killua snickered at the doctor's misfortune as the man grew more and more frustrated.

Once they were through with that, Killua hopped up from the bed and trotted after Leorio as he left the room.  After closing the bedroom door, Leorio turned to look at Killua expectantly.

"Need something?"

"Actually, yeah Doc," Killua said, ignoring the man's grumblings about the nickname, "I've been watching you over the past couple weeks, and I've decided that I can trust you.  So here's the thing-- now that Gon's awake and well, I've got something I need to do."

"... And you're wanting me to occupy him so he doesn't grow suspicious of your disappearance..."

It hadn't been a question, but rather a statement.  The man was too perceptive for his own good.  Killua fixed him with a stern look.  One of warning.

"Yes... you'd do well not to become too curious about my comings and goings."

"I didn't plan on it," Leorio was quick to reply.  Smart man indeed.  Killua was starting to think they may just be able to get along.  Maybe.  Not that he wanted to be in a situation that required such a thing of them.

"Good," Killua muttered, "that's good.  Uh... so... can you?"

"Oh, sure, sure," Leorio said, "no problem at all.  I was planning to keep an eye on him anyway, after all.  Make sure everything is running smoothly, make sure he can physically function properly.  That sort of thing."

Killua had no idea what most of that meant, but he knew Leorio did say he could watch Gon for him.  So naturally, he just nodded and acted like he knew what all that meant.

"Okay then, I'm gonna go now," Killua told Leorio.

"May I ask when you'll return?"

"Shouldn't be longer than sometime tonight.  If I'm not back by then, assume I'm dead," Killua paused at Leorio's expression of shock and laughed a little, "that was a joke, by the way," another pause, "no one in this village is capable of killing me."

Leorio was smart enough not to pry, "Return safely."

"Pfft... don't worry.  I will."


	3. A Ghoulish Slaughter (and maybe some cuddling on the side)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Killua and Leorio's relationship is really rocky. He just takes a while to warm up to people who aren't Gon.

"I don't know why you feel the need to help some lil brats, man-- they pro'lly weren't even human."

"They looked like kids to me... 'Sides, that kid we shot looked like he really was hurt bad," said a larger man defensively to his shorter companion.  It was evident that the shorter of the two was generally the one calling the shots.

A shadow in the darkness smirked knowingly.  The action, as well as the figure went unnoticed by the two men.  Until he called out to them, that was.  He kept to the shadows, so as not to give away his identity, and in turn entice them to come nearer.  It was working.

"Hey, you two.  Dumb and dumber."

They started to approach, the taller with a look of confusion while the shorter looked quite agitated.

"Yeah, that's right.  You two.  Come on, a little closer."

They did so.  The shorter was a little more hesitant to obey.  No matter.  It wasn't absolutely necessary for him to b fully compliant for this.  It would be more fun.

"Okay.  Now then, I couldn't help but overhear what you two were talking about a moment ago, so tell me then.  Whose idea was it to get help for the boy again?"

The larger man began to speak, but was cut off by the shorter of the two, "It was me, of course.  Couldn't have an innocent bleed out on us."

The larger man looked away dejectedly.  The figure in the shadows chuckled, coming forward just enough to reveal his identity to them.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a glory hog," he chastised, "it's not nice to lie," and as the man began to protest, he cut him off, "oh, don't give me that.  I can smell it on you.  Liars have such a horrid smell," and at that, his hand gave a subtle, barely noticeable twitch.

It was many seconds later that the larger man realized what had just occurred.  His companion's head was gone.  After he'd noticed this, the blood started to spurt upward, shooting high in the air.  He looked back to the boy and saw that his companion's missing head was in the hand that had just barely twitched before.  Somehow, and he had no idea how, he'd been the one to do that.  The man took a fearful step back, eyes widening.  The boy lifted the severed head high above his head, allowing some of the dripping blood to fall into his mouth.  He tested the flavor around inside his mouth before tossing the head to the side with a scoff.

"Nasty.  Figures," he muttered, eyes lighting up as they fell upon the man, "... You."

The man took another step back, "M-m-me?!"

"Which hand do you prefer?" he said.  He groaned when the man hesitated, waving his hand exasperatedly, "Hurry it up.  I don't have all night.  Or would you prefer I choose for you?"

So that's why...

"I-I'm left-handed so... uh..."

Just like that, the boy's hand had twitched again, and the man's right hand was gone.  The man flinched, watching as he tasted the flavor of the blood dripping from his now stolen hand as well.

"Much better," the boy said to himself with a small smile.  He wiped away the blood that had dripped on his face with the back of his hand, "ah, but I make it my policy not to kill those who haven't earned it, which I guess you haven't.  You should still be able to make a living with just that hand."

The man nodded dumbly, terrified of what would happen if he disagreed.  (Would he go back on his word?  He didn't want to find out.)

"So.  Stay out of trouble," the boy suddenly laughed at that as if it was a funny joke, causing him to flinched violently, "I mean, unless you **want** to end up like _him_ ," he pointed at the headless corpse of his deceased friend.

The man shook his head wildly.

The boy smiled, "Good.  You may want to see a doctor for that, or you'll bleed to death," he commented offhandedly, as if it wasn't that big a deal, "... also, not a word of this to anyone."

As if anyone would believe him, were he to do so.

* * *

 This had to be a joke.  Following the boy's advice, the man did indeed seek out a doctor.  The only doctor in the entire town.  Where he quickly discovered the two boys were taking up residence.

Was this a test?  A test to see whether he'd keep his word or not?!  Of course he did, but knowing he was still being watched by such a powerful, ruthless being was the single most mind-numbing, frightening moment of his life.

"Sir?  Sir, is there something you n-- **oh my _god_**!!"

The man was shaken out of his fearful stupor by the shocked cry of the doctor.  At first it didn't occur to him why he'd be reacting in such a way.  Then it hit him.  Oh, right.

His hand was gone.  He was bleeding.  A lot.

In a strange delirium, most likely blood loss induced, he found himself hoping that hand had at least gone to good use, and hadn't been tossed to the side like his friend's head was.

Wait, screw that.  If the boy still had it, he wanted the damn thing back.  Maybe the doctor could reattach it.  That would be just peachy, albeit not likely.

The boy himself casually strolled into the room, making eye contact from behind the doctor's back.  He mouthed the words, _"Not a word,"_ with a sly smirk.

The man shuddered.  As if it needed to be reiterated.  Leorio glanced back at the boy at the wounded man's sudden wariness.  The boy merely shrugged, giving an innocent grin, much deceitfully different from the smirk before.  Leorio rolled his eyes as he looked away.

The boy licked his lips, as if to lick away the residue of something tasty on them.  He wasn't sure whether it was intentional or not, but it was effectively intimidating all the same.  Seemingly satisfied with his efforts, the boy turned and left without a word.

The man urged Leorio to hurry with treating him.  The sooner he could get treated and leave, never to return again, the better.  Maybe he'd leave town and find some place that catered to the crippled.  Like a circus or something...  Yeah... Maybe that would work...

* * *

 

"Killua."

The boy in question's shoulders tensed.  That was the only indication he was even listening.  Leorio came closer.

"Was that man's hand your doing?"

Killua shrugged on of his shoulders dismissively, still not looking at him, "I don't know what you're talking about."

He decided to play dumb.  Leorio grumbled under his breath.

"You're lying," he eventually snapped at the boy.

Killua smiled, turning to fully look at Leorio, "Mm... ask yourself this, Leorio, and I'm saying this for your own benefit:  do you _really_ think you want to know?"

Leorio's knee-jerk reaction would have been to immediately say yes, but he stopped himself short.  The way the kid had phrased the question, the tone he used, was what stopped him.  He chewed at his lip nervously, now unsure, "... Do I?"

Killua walked forward slowly, stopped in front of Leorio.  He stood there quietly for a few minutes.  His cold gaze was mercilessly piercing through Leorio's, into his very soul.  It felt as if he could strangle Leorio with the silence alone.

Leorio jolted when Killua gave him a harmless pat on the shoulder, "No.  You don't.  Trust me.  You'll be better off if you never find out.  Like I said, it's for your own good."

Leorio nodded numbly, "Okay."

It took all his willpower not to stutter or shake.

"Good.  Now then, I'm going back to mine and Gon's room.  Holler if you need me."

"... Okay..."

Killua paused before patting Leorio's shoulder again, giving another one of those deceitfully sweet smiles of his, "I like you.  We'll get along nicely."

With that, he went back to his designated bedroom.  Leorio remained in a stupor, rooted to the same spot for a while thereafter.  He wasn't so sure he should be happy about the... 'compliment'.  He decided not to think too long on it.

Leorio needed a distraction.  Mayhap Kurapika could be of assistance.

* * *

 

"You killed again, didn't you?"

Killua was so used to Gon knowing things for literally no reason and randomly bringing them up that he wasn't even surprised for a split second.  He sighed, looking out the window.

"How do you even _know_ that?"

"Not important.  You did, didn't you?" Gon was persistent.

"I tried so hard to keep you from it this time.  It's the smell, isn't it?" Killua frowned.

"Mm... you do smell of fresh blood, that's true... but no," he curled an arm around Killua's waist, cuddling into his back, "but you have your secrets that you don't share with me, so I'm not telling."

"Gon, stop being difficult!" the white-haired boy complained.

Gon stuck out his tongue, "Why hello, pot.  Have you met kettle?"

Killua spluttered indignantly, trying not to laugh in the process, "Y-- but-- y-you.  You!"

Gon laughed, "I win," he declared as he pulled Killua down on the bed, "come cuddle with me, I've been lonely."

Killua hummed in response, curling against his tanned counterpart

"You're always so..." Killua murmured, "so warm... It's nice."

"Hehe," Gon giggled, declaring, "it's so I can always warm you up!  Killua, are you part reptile?"

Killua's cheeks became a vivid shade of red, "I-Idiot!  Don't say such embarrassing things.  And no, I'm not part reptile.  I just had bad circulation or something."

Gon continued to laugh when Killua burrowed under the blankets, burying his face into Gon's chest.  Killua didn't admit it to Gon, but he always found this activity of theirs to be most pleasant.  The warmth Gon radiated, much akin to the sun, was always pleasant and inviting to him.  Even the way his chest was rumbling with his slowly calming laughter was somehow pleasant to Killua.

"Say, Killua...?"

"... hm?"

"We'll stay together forever, right?"

Killua pulled away, peeking up at Gon from beneath the covers.  Those big amber eyes of his were eerily somber, almost as if foreboding.  Killua didn't like that look on his friend.

He hugged Gon tightly, "Of course, Gon.  We can always be together to the end..."

_\--sniff, sniff--_

"Gon?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you just sniff my hair?"

No hesitation. "Yup!"

Killua sighed, "You're just like a dog or something, I swear."

"But Kil-l _u-aaaa_ ," Gon whined, "you just smell so good.  I like your scent."

Killua was blushing again, hiding back under the covers, "Idiot!!"

Gon only laughed some more.


	4. Bath?  What's that?

There was a knock on the door, alerting Gon and Killua's attention. They'd of course heard him approaching long before he reached the door, but Leorio had been coming near their bedroom all day before walking away, and so they'd both disregarded his strange behavior. It seemed he'd finally worked up his nerve, or whatever it was he was trying to do.

"Gon? Killua?" Leorio asked through the wooden door. "May I come in?"

Before Killua could protest as usual, Gon was quick to answer, "Sure! Come on in!"

Without further pause, the door opened to reveal a slightly disheveled Leorio. Killua was chalking it up to some form of stress. Leorio nervously rubbed his hand through his hair as his eyes darted around the room. Gon and Killua tilted their heads curiously in unison.

This only served to make the doctor more edgy. He chuckled nervously, "So uh… I've put a lot of thought into this-" (they could tell) "- and I was wondering if you two would like to take up permanent residence here? It's just, uh, well you know, you're both still children, er, at least I  _think_ you are, and I feel like the forest is no place for children, and you should be able to be free to have fun and, a-and-"

"Leorio," Killua interrupted, causing the man to jerk to attention as he was silenced, "you're babbling."

"O-oh…"

"Sure!" Gon chirped with a big, characteristic smile. If he didn't always smile like that, Killua and Leorio may have been a little more concerned that Gon's face would either split in half or freeze up that way.

Both Killua and Leorio's eyes widened, "Really?!"

They looked at each other accusingly, having not expected to say the same thing at the exact same time, although for different reasons.

"Of course," Gon said, completely unfazed by their disbelief, "I think it's a great idea."

Killua, thought ruffled by Gon's decision, added, "Where he goes, I go, so… I guess we'll stay here. For now, at least. Don't expect it to last."

"Right, of course," Leorio replied, "that's fine."

All was quiet for a moment. Then…

"So then, first thing's first," Leorio said, catching the boys' attention, "I'm gonna have you two take a bath. You both stink."

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Killua muttered.

Gon crawled forward on the bed, eyes wide, "What's a bath?"

"For crying out loud, you don't ever know what a bath is?!" Leorio demanded incredulously.

"Hey, don't get snippy with us. We've been living in the forest for our entire lives," Killua said coolly.

"How do you even know english then?!"

"Pfft, there was someone to teach us. Obviously."

"... If that's the case, how come you don't know about such common things?" Leorio was genuinely curious now.

"There  _was_ someone teaching us, but she died when we were still very little."

It was Gon who had answered. His words filled the room with an uncomfortably tense silence. The two boys looked solemn.

Leorio made a vow then and there to try his best to make these two kids happy, so that he wouldn't have to see those expressions on their faces ever again.

He swallowed dryly, "Forget I said anything about it. Come on, let me show you how to use the bath. It's simply, really."

They were hesitant to leave the familiar comfort that was now their bedroom (especially given that they did not often venture out of it), but soon crawled off the bed to follow after Leorio. Gon was first to exit the bedroom, tugging on Killua's hand as his white-haired companion walked a little more slowly behind him. Leorio led them down the hallways to a room they'd not been in before. They eagerly took in their surroundings from behind the doctor, ever so curious about all the new things to be learned about.

"So this is the bathroom," Leorio said with a wide sweeping gesture of his arm, "it's where you do your business, wash up, so on and so forth."

"Do your business?" Gon asked. Though Killua remained silent, he was clearly just as lost.

"You know, number one and number two? Use the bathroom? Take a dump…? Go piss?" Leorio was growing uncomfortable trying to come up with explanations for what he was trying to say.

Luckily, understanding dawned with that last one. How they knew 'go piss', but not the other, Leorio would never know, nor did he care to find out.

"Ooh… so you do that in here…" Killua murmured, his face lighting up in understanding.

"Uh. Yeah. Where have you  _been_ going?"

And of course, he immediately regretted asking.

"Outside. I thought everyone did," Killua said, and Gon nodded his agreement.

Leorio slapped a palm over his forehead, "Holy… ugghhh… Gods, help these poor boys…"

"Why would we need the gods' help?" Killua asked.

" **Oh my-!** You know what, just get over here and take your bath already!"

Gon and Killua were giggling hysterically at the doctor's expense. He felt he was getting much too old for this.

"Okay, first thing's first. These knobs here are for the water temperature-"

"What do you think this thing's for?"

"Hmm… I don't know, try squeezing it!"

"Wahh! Stuff came out of it, Killu _aaaa!_ "

" **Are you two even listening?!** " Leorio towered ominously over the two.

"Nope," Killua immediately replied, unfazed while Gon looked a little bothered.

Leorio sagged against the tub dramatically, "You two are going to drive me into an early grave."

"Oh no, Leorio, don't die on us!" Gon cried, taking him much too literally.

"He's not really gonna die, idiot. He's being sarcastic," Killua pointed out, lightly whacking Gon upside the head.

"O-oh… oww," Gon pouted at his white-haired friend, "Killua, that hurt!"

"Did not."

"Did too!"

" **Quiet, both of you**!" Leorio exploded. The subsequent silence almost made him feel guilty. 'Almost' being the key word. Leorio took in a deep breath, heaving an aggravated sigh, "now, I'm only gonna show you boys how to use the tub  _once_.  **Got it?** "

They both nodded their heads, keeping their lips tightly sealed. The doctor wasn't about to squander away this wonderful opportunity.

He turned to the tub after beckoning them closer, "These knobs control the temperature of the water. The left is hot and the right is cold. This button here will turn the water on, like this," Leorio hit the button to demonstrate, "the water comes out of the faucet, see?"

They both nodded again and Gon asked, "But what about that thingy there on the, uh… faucet?"

"Oh, this? It turns on the shower. Don't mess with it," he said, then stared at both of them. Then more sternly, "Don't mess with it."

Killua rolled his eyes, "You only have to tell us once, geez. I don't see why you had to repeat yourself."

"Just in case the first time didn't sink in well enough," Leorio stood up, "anyway, the tub's big enough to fit both of you, and it saves water if you two take a bath together. The tub is filling up now, so go ahead and get undressed."

"People take baths naked?" Gon asked.

"... I'm not even going to bother asking why you would ask that…"

He then left the room, claiming it was to provide them with some privacy. Gon was first to toss his clothes off without a care in the world. Killua was a little slower. He shivered as he shed his shirt first.

"A little chilly in here," he complained.

Gon nodded, "Yeah, a little. Let's hurry up and get in the tub then! The water's nice and warm."

They both got in the tub, giggling to each other as they settled in the water. This quickly escalated to a splash fight that had to be silenced by Leorio when he re-entered the room.

"No, no,  _ **no**_. None of that in the hou-!"

Gon and Killua hadn't been paying the short-fused doctor much mind, but when he stopped mid-sentence, they turned their heads to look at him.

"Leorio?" Gon shifted uncomfortably under the man's blank stare.

Killua narrowed his eyes, moving to cover Gon as well as he could, "Why are you staring at us like that?"

"You…" Leorio blanched, rubbing at his eyes, "You have tails?!"

"Why wouldn't we?" Killua quirked a brow.

"Humans don't have tails."

"Yeah, and we've already told you we're  _not_ human. Quit staring. It's rude, and you're making Gon nervous."

"Oh. Right. Sorry," Leorio looked away, "I came to bring you some towels to dry off when you're done, and I found some spare clothes to change into since yours are too dirty to put back on. They're a bit big, but better than nothing. Those soaps around the tub are for washing up. I'm sure you can figure those out on your own at least."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll figure it out," Killua said dismissively.

Leorio just stood there until the words registered in his mind. He gave a stiff nod before turning on his heel and leaving, closing the bathroom door behind himself. The two (very fluffy looking) towels were deposited on the toilet seat, and the clothes were on the vanity sink. Gon's shyness ebbed away now that there wasn't someone staring at him, and he was now exploring the different pieces to the tub, looking through the soaps, toying with the knobs.

"Um… Gon?"

"Yeah, Killua?" Gon looked up from the knob he was experimentally twisting and turning.

"Did Leorio tell us how to stop the water?"

"Hmmm…" he stopped toying with the knob, "nope. I don't think so."

"Uh-ohh…"

They both looked down at the steadily rising water level. It was very close to spilling over. This could be bad.

"We need to stop it," Killua pointed out, more to break the silent stupor than to actually say something.

"But  _how_?" Gon asked. The tanned boy was starting to panic.

"Scoot over," Killua nudged him aside with his hip so he could get at the knobs. "If I recall correctly, Leorio said this button turns the water on. So maybe it's the key to turning it off, too."

"Oh my gosh, Killua, you're right! You're so smart!" Gon cheered enthusiastically, hugging his friend.

Killua blushed, "Shut up, idiot. I'm trying to focus."

Gon pantomimed zipping his lips, watching Killua with wide amber eyes. Killua proceeded to do anything he could think of to turn off the water, until eventually he got the bright idea to wrap both hands around the button and give it a sharp tug.

… It had worked.

"What the hell kind of button requires you to pull it?" Killua asked incredulously, a rhetorical question. "This is stupid. Humans are stupid."

Gon pouted, "I don't know, I thought it was kind of cool."

This meant Killua had inadvertently called Gon Stupid. Sure, he called Gon an idiot sometimes, but he'd always been joking. It was his way of showing affection. Gon knew he didn't ever mean it. Needles to say, for this particular instance, he scrambled to make amends.

"I-I mean, it's not really  _that_ stupid. I guess. I mean, it can be cool… probably…" Killua stuttered.

Gon tilted his head curiously before letting loose a small giggle, "Killua is funny."

 _Crisis averted successfully._ Killua relaxed, releasing the breath he'd been holding and laughing with his fried.

After they calmed down enough, they both started going through all the soaps, trying to decipher which ones were for what.

"Hey, Killua, the instruction on this one say 'lightly massage into scalp, for best results follow up with con… cond-"

Killua took the bottle from Gon's grasp, "Conditioner. Whatever that is."

"Is it this?" Gon held up a similarly colored bottle.

"Oh. Yeah, I think that's it. Huh."

Gon was looking quite proud of himself for the accomplishment. He was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Okay, okay, calm down. We should hurry up and wash up. Since this other bottle here says 'body', I guess that means they're for washing our bodies and the other two are for heads. I don't see why humans can't just have one soap for everything but since we're living with humans, we should try to blend in."

"Oh, oh! You're right," Gon said, "you're so much smarter about these things than me."

Killua blushed, averting his eyes, "Let's wash you first. T-turn around and I'll do your hair, okay?"

Gon nodded, doing as he was asked without qualm. At first, Killua was a little unsure of whether he was doing it right, but he picked up speed as he progressed.

"Lean down a little?" he asked Gon, lightly tugging on tanned shoulders, "I want to rinse it now."

"Okay," Gon slipped under the water, laying his head back into Killua's waiting hands. As Killua rubbed his fingers through his hair, he hummed, "Feels good, Killua."

Killua nodded, blushing, but didn't say anything. It occurred to him Gon probably wouldn't see the action, but he was too flustered to speak.

And if Killua kept Gon there a little longer than necessary, he wasn't going to admit it. He cherished these intimate moments with Gon.

"Ne, Killua?"

Killua blinked, looking down at Gon in question. The boy was looking up at him with an odd expression.

"Are you done yet?"

"Oh. Right, sorry," Killua said, glancing around for the bottle of conditioner. When he found that, he quickly uncapped it and put some of that in Gon's hair. The effects were immediately noticeable, but since the bottle said to leave it in for a while, that's what he did. It made Gon's hair feel ridiculously soft. Maybe he should get Gon to wash his hair more often.

After he was done with rinsing Gon's hair, Gon also shampooed and conditioned Killua's. He was a little more clumsy about it (and probably used wayyy more product than he should have, not that Killua would tell on him), but still did a pretty good job of it. Scrubbing down with body soap was a much simpler matter.

"Huh. So how do we drain the water?" Gon asked once they were finished.

They both stared at the knobs and faucet.

"Eh, screw it," Killua said, "we'll just let Doc handle it."

"Good idea."

A few minutes and a soaked bathroom floor later, and they were out of the bathroom. Wandering out to the kitchen, the first person the two happened upon was Kurapika. Who was staring at them. Obviously trying not to crack a grin. Killua had to give the guy credit where it was due, he was pretty good at keeping a poker face most of the time when he wanted to.

"What's so funny?" he asked the blond.

"Nothing," Kurapika said, trying hard not to laugh, "it's just that those t-shirts look like dresses on you two."

"Says the guy wearing tights," Killua jabbed.

"They're not-"

"Tights. Definitely tights."

Now Gon was laughing. Kurapika seethed for a while, but eventually came around.

"You two want any breakfast? I'm making eggs and bacon," he said as he turned back to the stove he was manning.

Killua smirked as he strolled over to the blond's side and sat on top of the counter, "Is it actually going to taste like food this time?"

"Hush your mouth, it always tastes like food. I can't help it that it was burnt last time," he smacked Killua's lower backside with the spatula, "ass off the counter! Counters are for food."

"Hey, hey, some people would  _love_ to eat my ass," Killua jeered cheekily, hopping off the counter and narrowly dodging another smack from the spatula in doing so.

"Where does a young boy learn a thing like that?! I ought to wash your mouth out with soap!"

"You'd have to catch me first! Me and Gon are going to play outside. We'll be back when breakfast is ready," Killua stuck his tongue out at Kurapika as he grabbed hold of Gon's hand and tugged him out of the kitchen.

"But Killua, I don't want to play outside yet! What if we miss breakfast?"

"We're playing outside."

"Okay…"

" _ **Why**_   **is the bathroom floor all wet?!** "

…...

"Bye-bye, Kurapika, me and Killua are going outside to play!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my defense for Killua's crude comment, he WAS watching porn that one episode in Hunter x Hunter, so he totally is a little perv. But I like the idea of Kurapika trying to mother them, and scolding Killua for his crude humor and such. Angry Leorio is very angry about his wet floor. The consequences will never be the same!!
> 
> Please feel free to leave a review-- what did you like, what didn't you like? I love constructive criticism.


	5. The Little Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry for how long it has taken me to get out this measly 2,300 words chapter. I don't really have an excuse.  
> There's been a little bit of family drama and I also had to go to the doctor; long story short, I apparently have lesions in my eyes and now need to wear glasses. Haha. I'll try to get out a longer chapter for the next one.
> 
> Anyway, again, I'm very sorry. This should have been done days ago.

Playing outside was fun, but one thing that Killua and Gon mutually agreed was most definitely  _not_ fun was getting chewed out by Leorio for getting the floor all wet. How were either of them to know that it was bad etiquette to soak the floor?

Okay, so it may have been common sense… but still.

Killua thought he was overreacting. Apparently pointing that out was a bad idea, because the guy only got even madder. He thought it was funny, because Leorio's face got really red, like a big fat tomato.

Although he should probably stop picking at him. Their antics were most likely doing  _wonders_ for his blood pressure.

As luck would have it, breakfast turned out to be semi-edible. Which was a blessing, in all honesty, considering that when Kurapika made biscuits the other day, one would have had better luck taking a bite out of a brick.

After breakfast, Leorio handed Killua and Gon both the towels they'd used to dry off with and told them that they were to use them to mop up the mess they'd made of his floor (and to also do so any subsequent time they took a bath from then on).

So that was how they ended up in the bathroom, Killua sitting on the edge of the tub and watching Gon work while Gon was doing all the mopping. It took Gon a little while to realize he was doing all the work.

"How come Killua isn't helping?" he whined to his friend, pouting as he tried to soak up the water that had gotten into one of the corners of the room.

Killua rolled his eyes, "Why should I help when you're already doing such a great job on your own? I'll just get in the way."

"You really think I'm doing a great job?" Gon asked, then stopped to think about what he'd just said. "Wait a minute, you're trying to trick me! Get down here and help."

Killua stuck out his tongue at Gon and laughed, but nonetheless grabbed up his towel and started to help with drying up the water. A couple more minutes and they were done.

Just in time too, because just then Leorio walked in to check on their progress. He scrutinized the floor for any wetness before nodding to himself, satisfied with their work.

"It's still a little damp, but I think that's good enough since it's you guys."

"Hey, we resent that!" Killua complained.

"Hush. The hamper's behind that white folding door there, by the way. That's where you put dirty towels. See that your dirty clothes also end up in there in the future."

He was using a very stern tone on them, and acting really uptight… so when he had his back turned, they both made faces at him. Leorio didn't notice, but Kurapika who'd just happened to be walking by in the hallway, did happen to see them in the act. And he promptly started to giggle, which in turn caused Leorio to look at the blond, then at the two boys in question.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he turned away again and went off to do whatever it was Leorios do.

Kurapika shook his head slowly, trying to get his face back to a neutral expression, "You boys are a handful. You're going to get in so much trouble in the future, I can already tell."

* * *

And get in trouble they did. Many a time. So many times, in fact, that Kurapika and Leorio would find it odd on any date that no mischief was done. At first, they'd tried to lecture Killua and Gon about their behavior, but they quickly discovered that there was no point.

In the end, they learned to just work around the pranks and such.

Well, except  _that one time…_

* * *

" _Gon! Killua!" came a… very manly screech from the bathroom._

_Leorio was just looking up when the scream came, just in time to see one tan and black blur and one pale white blur rush past before his eyes, right out the open window in the kitchen. Leorio rolled his eyes._

" _How many times have I told you boys to use the door and not the window?!" he shouted after them, but he shouted this more for habit's sake than to actually teach them anything. They never did listen._

_And of course, a shouted reply of, "Sorry, won't happen again!" came from the both of them. A promise they all knew would not be kept._

_By the time they were both long gone, Kurapika came stomping in the room. Leorio was reading the morning paper, and had not looked up from it yet._

" _What's the matter?" he asked, still not looking up at Kurapika._

_Kurapika was now right in front of Leorio, "Just look what they've done to my hair!"_

_Leorio then looked up. Blinked a few times. Rubbed his eyes and blinked a few more times to be sure. His eyebrows drew together and his jaw dropped when he finally realized that he wasn't just seeing things._

" _They didn't."_

" _Oh yes they did! I swear, if this is permanent…!"_

_Leorio couldn't take it anymore. He burst out laughing, "Oh my, oh my…! It's_ _**purple** _ _! Hahahaha!"_

" _It… i-it's not funny!" Kurapika cried, eyes tearing up. "What if it never comes out? What if they used permanent dye? I'll never be able to get my hair color back to normal again without cutting it all off…!"_

_Leorio stopped laughing and stood up to hug Kurapika until his younger counterpart finally stopped flailing around and panicking. He pulled away and used his hands to massage tense, narrow shoulders._

" _Calm down, Kurapika," he said softly, "it isn't the end of the world. Hair grows six inches every year, so even if it was permanent it wouldn't take too long to grow back, but I'm sure it wasn't permanent hair dye. Unnatural colors, even permanent ones, aren't very permanent. Besides, this shade of purple really brings out the blue in your eyes. It makes them pop."_

" _You… you really think so?" Kurapika sniffled, a little happier at the compliment._

_Leorio nodded, "Most definitely. You look beautiful."_

_Kurapika nodded dumbly, "O-okay…"_

_Even though Leorio calmed Kurapika down enough that the blond was complacent and back to his usual cheery self, Leorio still personally gave Killua and Gon a very long lesson on how they should never play pranks with such permanent effects. The two boys ended up apologizing profusely when they realized that their prank had genuinely upset Kurapika. They weren't playing pranks to hurt people's feelings, after all._

_That wasn't to say they'd learned their lesson._

_When a week later, Killua unknowingly came out of the bathroom with bright blue hair (courtesy of Gon), Leorio began to wonder why he even bothered._

_Come to think of it, Leorio still couldn't figure out how they kept getting their little paws on hair dye. It wasn't as if the stuff was cheap._

* * *

"You know, you two never did tell me why you have tails," Leorio mentioned offhandedly one day to Killua.

Said white-haired boy was currently sitting behind him on the couch, furiously button mashing on a game controller, "You never asked. Although that's a weird question anyway. Why would there be a reason for having an appendage? That's like asking why frogs have webbed feet, or why birds have wings. I guess you could say we have tails for the same reason any other animal has a tail. Balance and stuff."

"Oh. That makes sense," Leorio could smack himself. It was a stupid question for sure, but the fact the two boys had tails… freaking  _tails…_ was something that had been nagging at the back of his mind ever since the first time he'd seen them. He frowned, watching as Killua cleared the level he was on. "When I was doing checkups on Gon, when you two first arrived, you'd never let me do a full checkup. It was to hide Gon's tail, right? Why are you always keeping them hidden if they're so useful?"

Killua shrugged, somehow managing to hold a conversation and evidently keep up a fast pace in the game at the same time, "No reason really. I mean, we could have them out around the house, but you never know… Aunty Mito always taught us to conceal our less human attributes. Something about humans not taking well to 'freaks'. She said that if someone saw our tails, they'd put us in a 'circus' and lots of humans would come stare at us in a cage. Doesn't sound very fun to me."

Though it wasn't the first time either of the boys had spoken of this Mito character, it still wasn't often that they talked about her. What Leorio had heard from the two of them created a mental picture of a very kind, gentle woman. She must have been a wonderful mother figure in life. He was finding more and more that he wished he could have met her himself.

"Your Aunt Mito sounds very wise."

Killua nodded, "She was."

Kurapika came into the room a little while later, dusting flour off an apron he was wearing, "Have either of you seen Gon? I haven't seen him all day."

Leorio looked up toward the ceiling thoughtfully, "I think he went outside to play…?"

Killua kept his eyes on the screen as he spoke up, "He went fishing. He said he wanted to catch a really big one so we could have it for dinner. I can go get him for you after I beat this boss."

"That would be great," Kurapika said with a smile, "oh, and if he does catch a nice big fish, that would also be good. I've been having trouble trying to decide what to make for the main dish today."

"Mmkay, I'll go in a minute," Killua said. He already had the boss down to half health.

There was a loud, high pitched beeping from the kitchen. Kurapika turned his head, "That's probably the rolls. I should go get that."

The blond then disappeared back into the kitchen. Leorio decided at that moment to go accompany Kurapika in the kitchen, and possibly help out (aka mooch food before it was dinnertime).

Killua mused to himself what a miracle it was that over the past so many months, Kurapika had managed to improve his cooking skills. He supposed it was true what they say about practice making perfect, even for a hopeless case like Kurapika. Even so, it was amazing just how well the blond mercenary could now cook. Killua and Gon had become quite spoiled on all the home-cooked meals Kurapika took the time to make whenever he was around.

* * *

Killua found Gon up high in a tree out by a lake nearby. It was the biggest tree for miles. Killua just stared up at Gon for a few moments before he began the task of climbing all the way up to where his companion was sitting about two thirds of the way up the tree. As he finally reached Gon's perch, the boy jumped to his feet, rearing back the fishing rod in his hands and shouting out loud. Killua's eyes darted downward to see a gigantic fish breaching the water at the end of the line.

Killua watched in amazement as Gon performed the mind boggling feat of reeling the monster in. And oh boy, did he!

Somehow, after he got the fish all the way reeled in, he turned to see Killua, entirely unsurprised to find him standing there. Gon's borderline clairvoyance was the strangest thing, in Killua's opinion. Somehow, the boy always knew what Killua was up to, but couldn't do something as simple as, say, dodging a regular bullet shot by completely normal human hunters.

"Killua! I caught a really big fish, see?!" Gon held up the fish that was nearly half his own size for Killua to look at. Killua cringed at how it only barely could qualify as a 'fish'.

"You're not planning on getting Kurapika to cook that, are you…?"

Gon pouted, "I was. Why?"

"Umm… no reason…" Killua chuckled nervously, "Just, uh, forget I said anything. Anyway, it's getting late. Kurapika was asking for you."

"He was?! We'd better hurry!"

"Dude, relax. There's no reason to rush on Kurapika's account," Killua laughed.

Gon considered this with a frown. He contemplated the massive, wriggling fish in his hand, "Well, yeah, but still… Kurapika's an important friend, right? It wouldn't do to worry him, because he cares about us and trusts us."

Both Killua's eyebrows rose in question, "He matters that much to you?"

"I mean, not as much as Killua, of course," the boy replied, sticking out his tongue, "but still! He and Leorio have been taking care of us. I know they never told us we're obligated to do anything for them, but the least we could do is keep them from worrying unnecessarily."

"I suppose you're right," Killua muttered, sighing slowly, "ahh, but if that's the way you wanna be, I'm not gonna argue. It will be dark out here in an hour or so. We should head back. Kurapika's almost done making dinner. Said something about wanting to use your fish as the main course if you caught one."

The manic grin that spread across Gon's face at that did nothing to put Killua at ease. They were going to be eating fish for weeks. He could already tell.

* * *

Life went on that way for a while. Months turned into a year or so, and around that time was when Gon and Killua started to become more and more adventurous. They'd travel farther and farther still away from Leorio's home. They couldn't be contained in such a small area, as young boys often weren't.

It wasn't until the two boys were roughly fourteen years of age that they stumbled across an area they'd soon regret finding...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, please let me know what you think. Catch any typos or glaring plot holes? Love it? Hate it?  
> Please review.


	6. Fun And School Don't Mix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry these are taking so long. Dealing with writer's block here and there. The next chapter may or may not take a while. Depends. Siblings are visiting, so I might be a little preoccupied.

 

 

 

> _The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage._
> 
> _**Thucydides** _

On the early morning of a sunny, partially cloudy evening, Gon and Killua decided to adventure a little farther than usual from Leorio's home. It was the greatest distance they'd ever been from his home since before Leorio took them in, and that was certainly saying something.

They soon stumbled across a strange sight. A gathering of humans, most likely close to their age.

There had to be at least a hundred. Gon and Killua hadn't even known that many humans even lived on the island, let alone children specifically. They were all waiting outside a giant–– and they  _did_ mean  _gigantic_ –– fence. It was probably a good four metres or so high.

Gon stared up at the wrought iron gates in awe while Killua observed their surroundings suspiciously. Gon was obviously not as wary as Killua, but Killua definitely did not like the looks of this situation.

"Whoa…" Gon murmured, still staring, "what do you suppose it is?"

They could see a strange building looming up toward the sky from behind the fence. Killua shook his head disbelievingly.

"I've no clue," Killua replied, "never seen anything like it."

Neither of them ever had. This was all so bizarre to them.

One of the children who looked near their age, maybe a tad younger and had clearly overheard their conversation, turned to look at them, "You've never been to school before?" the kid asked.

He was awfully short, maybe even proportionately short for his age. His hair was short, nearly shaved to his head, and his eyes were wide and innocent. He wore strange white clothes. Well, strange to Killua and Gon, anyway. No one else was wearing clothes like that.

Gon handled the talking, "No, never. What do you do here?"

"We learn things! Like writing, and science and stuff," the boy explained. Needless to say, such jargon was mostly over their heads.

"That's weird," Killua said, "so how come your parents can't teach you then?"

The boy shuffled from one foot to the other, his expression one of perplexion, "... Well… I don't know. I guess our parents do teach us some things, but they don't know all the right things to teach us… I guess…"

"Then how come they aren't also going to school?" Gon pressed. Surely, if school was where one went to learn, then someone who hadn't been taught should be there too. That's what Gon thought.

"Well, they already went to school…?" the kid tried.

"But they didn't learn anything?"

"No! I mean yes? I mean… um…"

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the head of the crowd. It would seem the gate had opened and people were going inside.

"What's going on?" Gon asked.

"It's time for school," the boy replied with a smile, turning to follow the rest.

"Wait!" Gon shouted, and the boy stopped. "What's your name?"

"Zushi!"

And the boy disappeared into the crowd.

"This place is weird," Killua commented. Gon just nodded numbly, lost in thought.

As the crowd thinned out and the last of the kids went inside, the gates closed. Gon stared at the fence a little while longer before he did something crazy. He took a few steps forward until he was at the foot of the fence and  _started climbing the damn thing._

"Dammit, Gon! What are you doing?!" Killua shouted, rushing over, making to grab for his friend's feet. "Get back down here!"

"What does it look like?" Gon dodged Killua's hands, climbing even higher. "I wanna see what 'school' is like. They closed the gate, so I'm just gonna climb right over it."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Killua slapped a palm to his forehead.

"No?"

"It was a rhetorical question!"

"Hurry up, Killua, or I'm gonna leave you behind!"

Killua threw his hands up in the air exasperatedly, but then put on a confident smirk. "Oh? Is that a fact? Care to back that up, or are you all talk?"

"Oh sure, I could beat Killua in my sleep!" Gon stuck out his tongue at Killua over his back.

"Those are fighting words!"

Killua jammed his claws into the fence and started climbing. No way was he going to be beat by Gon. Gon may have been pretty strong (and there was no mistaking that he somehow managed to beat Killua in arm wrestling matches every time), but Killua had always been the fast one.

Later, he'd probably be better thinking back on it, considering Gon had intentionally baited him into tagging along to this 'school'. Gon could be crafty like that.

Before he knew it, Killua had successfully caught up with and completely passed Gon in their little race, and had safely made it over to the other side. He landed in what could be considered nothing less than a graceful crouch. The beauty of which was lost when he started cheering and laughing at Gon.

"What was that about beating me in your sleep, huh?" he called back at his friend.

"Ouch!" Gon cried with a loud crash as he landed much more clumsily.

Killua swiveled around, fixing a concerned stare on Gon, "What happened? Are you okay?"

The boy winced as he gingerly rubbed at his backside, "Ah, Killua, I think I hurt my tail."

 _Not good._ "Just leave it alone, you probably just bruised it a little or something," Killua said. It would  _not_ be a good idea to pull it out at such a heavily populated location as 'school'. There were too many chances of being seen; of being caught. He didn't want Gon to be exposed like that.

"But Killu _aaa_ , it h _urts!"_

Killua groaned at that whiny tone, and those puppy dog eyes too, "Fine! Real quick, pull it out. Hurry, before someone sees."

Gon made a show of gingerly pulling it out and whimpering as he did so.

Gon's tail was long; very flexible with a cute fluffy tuft of fur at the end, solid black all the way through. If it weren't for how flexible and thin it was, he may have had a very hard time hiding it. Killua's own was very similar, only it was a stark white in contrast. Killua liked to think that another noticeable difference was that  _he_ had much better control over his tail.

Killua eased in closer to have a better look, then frowned.

"Really. Oh my god, that's nothing, you'll be fine," he said, displeased that Gon would deign to make such a big deal over such a tiny scrape.

"But it hurts," Gon repeated stubbornly.

"Are you–– fuck. You know what, would it make you feel better if I kissed it for you like Aunty Mito?" Killua knew that was probably what Gon wanted.

It was a thing Mito had done a lot when they were smaller. For any bump or bruise, ache or pain, she'd give them a little kiss to 'make it better' for them. It hadn't taken Killua long to find out the kisses literally did nothing, but he also found out soon thereafter that it was more the thought that counted in that aspect. And Gon did like getting his booboos kissed. He was such a child.

"... Yes…" Gon said eventually, and Killua could see it in his eyes. It was his aim that whole time.

Killua wrinkled his nose.

_Manipulative little shit. He's lucky I love him._

"Let's get this over with," Killua grumbled, grabbing Gon's tail.

"Please be gentle."

"I'll show  _you_ gentle," he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm, but nonetheless he complied with Gon's wishes. He half suspected that it didn't hurt as much as Gon was complaining and that he was doing it for the attention. Scratch that, he was a hundred percent certain of that fact.

Whatever. It didn't really matter that much.

What he didn't expect when he kissed Gon's 'wounded' tail was to hear a small, hushed gasp from somewhere behind him.

He tensed, eyes narrowing. His claws were already out the moment his body had gone rigid.

How could he have been so careless?! The human sounded close, whoever it was. Close enough that he should have heard them coming nearer forever ago. Their identity didn't matter by this point, because Killua was going to make sure they're as good as––

"Don't." Gon said.

Killua snapped out of it, "Huh?"

"Killing is bad, remember?" he reminded the white-haired boy.

"Oh."

"Besides, that's Zushi. Look," Gon pointed.

Killua slowly turned around; the action was perhaps a tad more exaggerated than need be.

Sure enough, there stood the young boy they'd met earlier.

Zushi kept looking away nervously, "I-I'm sorry f-for interrupting! I just… uh, forgot–– er–– dropped something."

Killua forced his claws to retract. It was a painful thing for him to do, but would likely put Zushi a little more at ease. "What did you lose? Maybe we can help," he offered. May as well make nice if Gon wasn't going to let him kill this kid.

"It's, uh… a wristband. A yellow one," the boy replied, broadly gesturing toward and around his wrist in a circular motion as he spoke.

_So an accessory of some sort?_

They weren't familiar with a lot of human clothing… but Gon could probably sniff it out regardless.

And he did. Meanwhile, Killua was simultaneously admiring and snickering at the way Zushi was treating Gon's still exposed tail like an elephant in the room. Perhaps they could trust this human at least. If Killua was being frank, he didn't really  _want_ to kill him. He was a cute kid.

It would be a shame to end his life. Maybe they could be friends.

Abruptly, Gon bent down and picked something up off the ground, showing it to Zushi, "Is this what you're looking for?"

"Oh! It is, you found it so fast!" Zushi exclaimed, then bowed with his arms stiff at his sides. "Thank you. Your help has been invaluable!"

Gon giggled, mimicking Zushi's bow before handing over the 'wristband'. Killua just shook his head at their antics. At least they were having fun.

When they were done with their exchange, Killua grabbed hold of Zushi's sleeve to get his attention, "Zushi. You see Gon's tail, right?"

The boy was hesitant to nod.

"I need you to promise me something. Don't tell  _anyone_. Not even relatives. Understand?"

Zushi nodded a little more quickly this time, "I won't tell, promise! Not even to Wing!"

Killua paid no mind to the fact he had no idea who the hell that was.

Zushi fidgeted around awkwardly, catching both their attentions.

"Something wrong?" Gon asked.

"Oh, uh, I guess this explains why you guys don't know about school, huh?" he asked, still with that nervous air about him.

"Basically," Killua replied casually, folding his arms behind his head, "we've pretty much spent our whole lives in the forest."

Zushi's eyes widened considerably, "The forest.  _The_ forest?" he asked incredulously, pointing toward where the trees were covering the mountainous slope of the island.

"That's the only forest on the whole island, right?" Gon asked. Somehow, explaining  _which_ forest seemed like a very moot point.

"Well yeah… but it's just hard to believe anyone could survive there. No offense, but you two don't look very strong…" Zushi trailed off. In a rush, he added hastily, "Uh-uuhhh… not that you aren't! I mean, to live there, you gotta be!"

Gon and Killua laughed. Gon then gave Zushi a big, cheesy smile, "Don't worry about it, we're not offended. Is the forest really that scary, though?"

"Of course it is!" Zushi said. "Some of the island's strongest men have died there!"

This was news to them. Leorio and Kurapika had never spoken to them about the forest being dangerous. Perhaps that could be chalked up to the fact they'd been living there, and thus needed no warning. Sure, Leorio had told them when they first met that it was dangerous for Gon to stick around in the forest while he was recovering from bullet wounds, but that hardly held a candle to the magnitude of danger Zushi was inferring about it.

Gon was genuinely surprised, "Really?"

Killua rolled his eyes, "Doesn't sound like they're very strong to me…"

The boy appeared saddened by this remark. Gon elbowed Killua in the ribs none too gently.

"Ow," Killua hissed, rubbing tenderly at his poor, abused side.

"Be nice," Gon told him sternly.

"No, he's right for the most part," Zushi said, "most people who we considered strong weren't all that tough. I mean, all except for Kite, that is. He was strong. Really strong."

"You knew him?" Killua asked. Zushi nodded. "He was someone important to you."

"Sort of. I didn't know him very long, but I looked up to him. He was a very kind man."

"I wish I could have met him," Gon was solemn. This Kite guy sounded to be quite the interesting person.

As nice as this conversation was, Killua couldn't help but remember where they were. Zushi probably didn't have time for idle chitchat with them.

"Hey, Zushi, don't you have to be somewhere right now?" Killua asked him.

Zushi was put off momentarily by the roundabout way of asking, "Be somewhere…? Oh no, my class!"

Gon chuckled lightly, "You'd better hurry. Don't wanna get in trouble on our account."

Zushi giggled, nodding, and ran off.

Killua sighed, exasperated, "And where are  _you_ going  _now?"_

Gon paused mid-step, "I still wanna see what school's like," he looked back at Killua, "don't you?"

"Not really…"

"Oh, don't be such a party pooper. Come on, Killua!"

"Fine, fine…"

* * *

Getting into the school was the easy part. Not that Killua considered it an honorable feat when they could have been playing in much cooler, funner places.

Dodging the adults was the hard part… or in Gon's opinion, the fun part. All about perspective, he supposed.

Sniffing out Zushi's class was also a simple matter. Most things that involving tracking were like that for Gon.

So that was how Killua found himself beside Gon, who had his face pressed against a window.

A lot of kids were sitting at small tables in neat rows. An adult stood at the front of the room, speaking to them as they were all writing something. Gon and Killua were assuming that guy was the teacher who was qualified to teach what parents couldn't. He looked boring.

Next thing Killua knew, Gon had somehow gotten Zushi's attention and was eagerly waving at him… Coincidentally, he also had half the class's attention as well…

Why was he not surprised?

When Killua caught sight of the adult angrily coming toward them, he decided it was time to grab Gon's arm and book it out of there.

It had been a long while since they'd run so fast. They didn't really need to, but Killua wasn't taking any chances since he figured it was better to be safe than sorry. That teacher looked like he could be a really mean guy.

When Killua let down his guard and slowed down, they were abruptly yanked out of the hallway by a hand, and into a tiny room. It was really cramped and filled with cleaning supplies.

The person who'd pulled them in was bigger and older, but he definitely looked dumber. He demonstrated as much very quickly.

"Oh, good, fresh meat," the boy said, "here's how this is going to work.  _You_ give me your lunch money, and  _I_  won't have to pummel you."

"Excuse me?" Killua scoffed. "You're going to pummel who now?"

"Tough guy, ah?" the guy twisted a fist in Killua's shirt, lifting him up a few feet in the air.

Killua sighted, "you really shouldn't have done that."

"Killua…" Gon grabbed at Killua's shirt. A nervous gesture.

"Don't worry, I'm just gonna rough him up a bit. Nothing too permanent."

Gon nodded, "Okay, but go easy on him."

"I don't appreciate being talked about like I'm not here!"

The bully made an attempt at punching Killua, but it was futile. Killua was far too fast for him, and for Killua, watching him swing his fist so sloppily was like watching a movie in super slow motion.

Killua smirked, "Are you even trying?"

"Don't insult me!" the boy cried as Killua caught his fist with ease.

"You suck."

"Quit mocking me!"

Killua laughed, dodging the weak frenzy of fists this guy was throwing. "Quit being such a terrible fighter and I'll consider it."

"Killua, hurry it up before someone finds us in here," Gon warned.

He could hear people nearby, but with a little luck, he was hoping they weren't in human earshot.

"Yeah, yeah," Killua grabbed the bully's arm, doing a maneuver that had it behind his back in less than a second, "Oh my, would you look at that? Seems I've got you defenseless."

"Bastard," the bully growled.

Killua raised a brow, "Brave of you to call names when I've got you completely at my mercy. Shall I break it for you?"

"N-no!" he pleaded. "Please! Not my throwing arm! I'm off the team if you break it!"

"Throwing arm?" Killua was confused. He shook his head dismissively. "Well, whatever. I might or might not break it, but you gotta promise to leave me and Gon alone first."

"F-fine! Now let me go!"

"Mmkay…" Killua dropped the bully to the ground. Without a second thought, he'd gotten to his feet, wrenched the door open and run like Hell's hounds were nipping at his heels. Killua watched with a vague look of bemusement on his face, "Are all humans like that? Wimpy and weak, I mean."

Gon shrugged, "Eh… I don't think Leorio and Kurapika are."

"Hmm… There are still way too many weak humans. And the weakest ones always seem to be the biggest assholes with the most talk."

"I guess," Gon said.

The subject was a touchy one, it would seem.

"Let's not talk about that. It's depressing," Killua turned toward the open doorway of the closet, "let's get out of here before someone finds us in here. Wanna check out more of the school?"

That cheered him right up, "Sure!" Gon chirped. "I'm so glad you're finally coming around, Killua!"

He wasn't really keen on checking out the school, but if it would keep Gon happy, he'd bear it.

* * *

Somehow, the boys found themselves seated in an office. Not of their own volition, of course. They'd been forcefully dragged in there against their will.

These adults kept asking them why they were there when they weren't 'students'. Whatever that was. Probably had something to do with school. Killua did most of the talking.

"Look, sir, I don't know how many times I gotta tell you. I have no idea what a student is, but we didn't mean any harm. Is there really a problem with coming here to look around?" Killua frowned, crossing his arms. Gon nodded eagerly in agreement.

The man behind the desk appeared unsure, "Well, I guess not, but you still went about it all wrong."

"How so?"

"What an absurd question. Of course it's because you have to come to the office first. We need to know you're here. It's simply protocol."

"But why?" Gon asked.

"That's just the way it is."

"Why?"

"Because––"

"Because why?" Killua asked before he could finish.

The man narrowed his eyes, "We are  _not_ playing this game."

"Really? That's a pity. I was under the impression we already were," Killua was examining his fingernails.

"Insolence!" the man made to rise from his seat.

"Let's not make any hasty decisions, Mr. Davids," the man beside him said, "they may be acting difficult, but they  _are_ still children."

"That's right," Killua added cheekily, "we're  _ch-il-dren._ "

The man clenched his fists.

"Mr. Davids," the man at his side said, then looked to them, "I would appreciate if the two of you stop instigating. Now then, do you know your parents' numbers?"

"What kind of numbers?" Gon asked.

"Their numbers. Their phone numbers. Don't you know them?"

Killua and Gon shrugged. The two men shared a look of concern. Killua got the distinct impression they were looking down on Gon and him. He crossed his arms narrowing his eyes in a sour expression.

"Who are your parents then?" asked the man behind the desk.

Gon looked at Killua, who in turn looked to them, "We don't have any."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the man apologized, looking sad for some reason they could not discern. They didn't see what there was to be sorry about. The pitying look in his eyes was making them both uncomfortable.

"You have no reason to be sorry though," Killua informed him, thoroughly befuddled.

"It's common courtesy to apologize for such saddening things," the man said.

This confused him even more, "But I'm not sad?" it came out as a question. He hadn't meant for it to.

The two men shared another one of those concerned looks. It was unnerving. Killua nudged Gon to get his attention and discreetly gestured toward the men with an annoyed, confused sort of expression. Gon merely shrugged. Great.

Weird old men.

"Do either of you have a guardian?" the man behind the desk asked.

"What's that?" Gon asked in return.

"A person who looks after you."

"Oh, like Leorio and Kurapika?" Gon tilted his head in question.

"Is that who's looking after you?" he asked, and the boys nodded. The man sighed, "Finally, some headway. Luckily, Leorio is only doctor on this island, so I've got his number on file."

The man pulled out a small booklet, thumbing through it, then picked up his phone.

"You'll have to wait here until your guardian arrives," informed the other man, "best make yourselves comfortable."

* * *

It took a full half hour for Leorio to get there. Killua and Gon were bored out of their minds. That was all but forgotten however when they saw how angry Leorio was… with them…

They both smiled sweetly at him, but that did nothing to lessen his anger. Drat. It wasn't often they could make Leorio truly angry. The worst part was, they weren't even sure what they'd done wrong by this point. They'd just been exploring, as they'd always done.

Leorio walked stiffly up to the desk, "Thank you so much for finding Killua and gon for me, Mr. Davids. I'll be taking them home now."

"Not so fast, Dr. Paladiknight."

Leorio cursed under his breath, but remained where he stood.

"Your… children… have caused a lot of unnecessary ruckus in our school. Where are they supposed to be at this time? Do you have them enrolled anywhere?"

Leorio shook his head, "No, sir. I'm home schooling them."

"Home schooling? With your job? How curious. I'd imagine you haven't the time for such a task."

"Well, I do. I'd appreciate if you'd keep your nose out of the way I see fit to raise them. It's none of your concern."

"Oh, but that is where you are wrong. When your children break into my school and beat an innocent student, it becomes my business."

Leorio's brief glare at the two boys was highly venomous, "You did what?!"

"That rat," Killua hissed, scowling at the floor.

Gon slammed his fist his chair's armrest, splintering the wood, and stood from his seat, "But that's not fair! He was a bully! He started it!"

Everyone except Killua flinched at his sudden temper.

"That  _bully_ is an honor student in this school, and the high school quarterback. He informs me you attacked him first and nearly broke his arm. You weren't even supposed to be here in the first place. Who am I to believe? The honor student, or the dimwit and his brutish sidekick?"

"What did you just call us?" Killua demanded as he too jumped out of his seat. He approached the desk with arms tense at his sides, fingers flexing as his claws started to unsheathe. "You take that back, old man. I may be a brute, but Gon is not a dimwit."

"Killua…" Gon's voice was small, barely there.

Leorio nudged Killua back, slamming both hands down on the desk. He gave the principal a long, hard stare, "I understand your concern, sir, but with all due respect, I will not just stand here while you insult  _my boys._ "

The man started to speak, but the doctor cut him off.

"You can rest assured, I'll speak to them about wandering off where they shouldn't. My boys can be ornery, but one thing they aren't is  _liars_. You'll not tell my boys they aren't allowed to defend themselves when clearly it was your student who attacked them, and they even left him unharmed."

"But… but they nearly broke his arm…"

" _Nearly_ ," Leorio repeated hollowly. His eyes flared in anger, "By nearly, you mean to tell me they haven't actually broken it. Isn't that so?"

"Well yeah, but––"

"So you have nothing to worry about. You've still got your precious football tosser. Leave Gon and Killua alone," he stepped back from the desk, "we'll be taking our leave now, Mr. Davids."

Leorio then walked to the door. Killua and Gon stood around awkwardly and were unsure of what to do until Leorio looked back at them expectantly. As he left, they hurried to follow after him.

There were a few tense minutes of silence while they left the building and school campus. Eventually, Leorio broke that silence.

"I trust I don't need to explain to you two what you've done wrong?"

"Broke into the school, right?" Killua asked on his and Gon's behalf. He remembered it from Leorio's heated conversation just now with the principal.

"That's right. Don't do it again. Humans are very particular about certain places. Consider it them being territorial."

"Ah, I get it, so it's kind of like how you're not supposed to go into a foxbear's territory when it has cubs?" Gon said, smiling. He was proud of himself for thinking of the analogy.

Leorio stared at Gon for a moment, then looked away, "Ahh… sort of… Only humans probably won't kill you for trespassing."

"Neither will a foxbear if you get out of there fast enough," Gon retorted.

"Well, aren't  _you_ the clever one?"

They all had a good laugh after that. Then Leorio got serious again.

"Killua," he said. Killua's shoulders squared; he looked up. "You were going to kill the principal."

"I was."

"Over such a trivial matter?"

"It wasn't trivial! He called Gon a dimwit!"

"Yes, but most people don't kill someone over verbal insults though. You're lucky I stepped in when I did."

Killua crossed his arms, grumbling unintelligibly under his breath. It would seem he had a lesson or two to learn when it came to the importance of lives.

* * *

Once they got home, despite the fact Leorio had said there was no need to do so, Kurapika made a point of giving Gon and Killua a stern lecture. Mainly about how they needed to stay away from the school from now on. Killua immediately replied they wouldn't have to worry–– he hated the place too much to go back.

Gon was a little reluctant to agree with Killua. He'd come around, Killua was sure. Eventually. In the meantime, Killua would have to keep him distracted so he wouldn't even think about running off to that school.

* * *

That night, Killua and Gon lay side by side, legs intertwined, as they always did when they went to bed. They felt safest in the company of each other's warmth. Touch was essential.

Many might consider such an exchange to be romantic, but such things were lost upon them. Though it was definitely an intimate thing, it was mainly about comfort for the two boys. They needed each other like a drowning man needed air. Well, more like just any man needed air, but being separated from one another was much like drowning. They preferred never to test the theory on whether being separated permanently would actually kill them.

"Say, Killua."

Killua, who'd had his eyes closed in thought, opened them once more. Gon's fingers had stilled, still buried in his white locks. He whined softly, nudging his head against Gon's hands so he'd resume petting it.

"Yeah?" Killua asked when Gon started stroking his hair again. Gon was quiet for a few minutes, contemplative.

"If you could go to school, would you?" he asked, slowing with the petting, so Killua nudged his head farther against Gon's hands again.

"I don't really see the point in going. Why? Do you want to?"

Gon's brow furrowed, "I don't know. It could be cool to learn more about humans and the world they live in. And Zushi's there too."

"I'm sure we can see Zushi in other places than just that school."

"Maybe…"

Killua's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Gon, please don't tell me you're thinking of going back there."

"Only a little."

"No."

"Fine, fine…"

"Gon, I mean it. Leorio and Kurapika said not to."

"I know."

" _Gon._ "

" _I_ _ **know**_ _!"_

Killua shrunk away ever so slightly, "I'm just making sure I got through that thick skull of yours. I'm only nagging because I care, you know," Killua muttered. He hadn't meant to make Gon raise his voice or get upset.

"Yeah, I know," Gon said, fingers curling and uncurling in Killua's hair. He pulled Killua back in closer again, "stay over here. It's cold. I'm just so bored of always doing the same old thing, you know?"

"Yeah. Me too," he admitted. It was true. They were both yearning for something more. For adventure.

"I never realized before how small this island really is."

"Mm… me neither."

"Do you think some day we'll be able to leave this island?" Gon asked hopefully.

"We will, I promise you that," Killua told him, "it just might take a while. One of these days, we'll find a way. We'll leave this island and go on a big adventure. Okay?"

Gon giggled, "I'm gonna hold Killua to that promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love it? Hate it? Let me know. Feel free to tell me if you caught a typo or mistake or glaring plot holes so I can fix them right away!
> 
> Questions are also very much welcome.


	7. Killua's Speculations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be part of chapter 6, but it didn't really have a place it belonged, so it's going to be a short stand-alone here. Ever have those moments at night right before you fall asleep where you just get really philosophical and think about life and such? This is basically that with Killua, thinking about life with Gon.
> 
> It doesn't exactly have a place in the timeline, but it's thoughts from Killua that I wanted to be included in the story.

> _ Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. _
> 
> _**Helen Keller** _

Gon was a peculiar kid; no one would ever doubt that… but to reduce the entity that was Gon to such a simple, uninspiring word… Well. _Peculiar_.

There were a lot of things Gon considered commonplace that others wouldn't even dream of. Personally, Killua liked that about his friend. But if there were to be one thing that even Killua found hauntingly odd about the boy, it was how he dealt with death.

Now, Killua had always been one to resort to violence, and even murder, much more quickly than most others, so he was uncertain whether he was truly the best judge of character. However, even he couldn't deny how strange this particular fact about Gon was.

The boy hadn't killed a single soul in his life. Not even animals he'd eaten were done in by Gon himself. That had always been left to Mito, or Killua, or more recently Leorio and Kurapika. Even still, the boy had this uncanny way about him when it came to death. He didn't bat an eye the first time he'd seen a corpse. Not even so much as a little flinch.  _Unfazed_. As if he'd been seeing death his entire life.

Killua had always tried to imagine how Gon might react. He'd thought his friend might cry, or panic, or maybe he'd become ill at the sight. He'd done none of that.

 _He'd handled it better than he had, the first time he saw a corpse_ , Killua had mused morbidly.

Somehow, he found it disturbing, that any one person could be so unaffected when never before had they seen a dead body. There had even been times when the body was that of an innocent, and it would hardly receive so much as a second thought from his cheery companion.

Gon was always the one to preach to Killua.

_" **Don't kill. Killing is wrong."**_

Words that had been drilled into their heads by Mito. They were not Gon's own. Words that, even after her death, Gon would stubbornly cling to as if they were a lifeline he was struggling to hold on to.

He'd recite them like a memorized verse. He'd say them in the same tone a child might repeat something a parent would say over and over; which was exactly what had happened. However, Gon saying those words sounded much like a very young child repeating to a friends, _"No biting, it's not nice,"_ or something to that effect where he would say the words but not know what they meant. He didn't understand the concept. He simply knew they were a scolding or teaching of some sort.

That was just it. Gon didn't understand what was wrong about killing. He had a very childlike view of the whole concept. He didn't think killing was wrong because one shouldn't take life away. It was more or less "because Mito said so."

Then Mito had died, and Killua realized that death  _could_ affect Gon. Just not death of someone he didn't know.

 _"_ ** _I wonder…"_  **Killua mused to himself, _" **I wonder if Gon would be upset if I died…?"**_

Not that he wanted to die any time soon, of course. He valued his life to an extent. Some part of him though, was bothered by the thought that Gon could possibly react to Killua's death the same way as he did some random stranger's. It made him feel… less. Just less. Of everything.

Was he like Aunty Mito to Gon?  Or was he more like some stranger?  Would Gon get upset and scream and cry for days on end, having nightmares about the loss?  Or would he gaze at Killua with cold eyes?  Eyes of a person who felt nothing for him.  Eyes of a person who couldn't care less.  

He'd seen it; seen it clearly.  The way Gon could be so cold toward someone he didn't know, when he really wanted to be.

There weren't a lot of people Killua valued. Gon was one of the few. Killua even looked to Gon when he was trying to calculate his own personal value. He was dependent on Gon, maybe more than was considered healthy.

_… **But did Killua matter to Gon…?**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And of course he matters to Gon. Poor Killua shouldn't doubt himself.


End file.
